[SOLVED] CPU overheating

[TheChameleon]

So I have had my pc for about 5 years now. Recently it has been struggling with an overheating problem so I decided to do a dust cleaning and reapply thermal paste. Even browsing on chrome has my pc in the mid 50's Celcius which im pretty sure is bad. It has come to a point where playing some games is just not feasable. What should I do?

My CPU is an AMD FX-8320 with the base heatsink( I suspect this heatsink to be the problem now )
If you would like some more information please let me know.

I would also mention that I have seen people say too much voltage will cause overheating as well, on AMD overdrive it says my voltage is 1.3875

 

[Phaaze88]

Well first, you need to download and run AMD Overdrive, because you've been using the wrong app to read the thermals with - FX was read differently from the norm.
https://www.techspot.com/downloads/4645-amd-overdrive.html

The FX-8320 has a Thermal Margin of 61.1C. When using Overdrive, that number will go DOWN as it warms up. Single digits, 0, and even negative numbers are bad.
So, check thermals again.

Also, seeing as you have one the 125w cpus, you probably didn't pair it with a sturdy motherboard, did you?
Make and model of said motherboard?
When the 125w FX models are paired up with weaker motherboards, they tend to exhaust the mobo's VRMs.

 

[TheChameleon]

I also have AMD overdrive. Idle my thermal margin tends to be from 10-25 C. Under load i have seen it drop to as low as -5 C though, I haven't looked at it while in a game but right after. My mobo is an msi 970 gaming.

 

[Phaaze88]

My mobo is an msi 970 gaming.

I guess it's one of the following?

https://pcpartpicker.com/products/compare/m2qdnQ,4MVBD3/

Idle my thermal margin tends to be from 10-25 C.

That's fine.

Under load i have seen it drop to as low as -5 C though

That's bad.
What are you using for the cpu cooler?
Do all fans still work?
If using a liquid cooler, did you confirm that the pump is still running: feel the cpu block, tubing, and radiator. The heat should be spread throughout the liquid cooler, not focused in the cpu block.
Have you cleaned the PC out lately?

 

[TheChameleon]

The mobo is the one on the left of the link you posted. I am using the stock heatsink from the cpu. All the fans do still work. I cleaned out my pc a few months ago. Still clean.

 

[Phaaze88]

Then the stock heatsink isn't cutting it. It is the summer season too...
FYI, the voltage report from earlier isn't dangerous at all.

 

[TheChameleon]

Summer doesn't affect it, house stays pretty cool. What heatsinks would your recommend?

 

[Phaaze88]

Do you know what the max height for air coolers that your chassis can handle?

 

[TheChameleon]

I do not, how would I figure it out, would I measure from my cpu to the top of my case?

 

[Phaaze88]

You measure from the top of the cpu to the side panel(if it were closed).

 

[Phaaze88]

Doh! If you know the model, I can try looking it up.

 

[TheChameleon]

So we are measuring how tall the heatsink can be basically?

 

[Phaaze88]

Yes. If I suggest one that's too tall, you wouldn't be able to close the side panel.

 

[TheChameleon]

I cant get an exact measurement but im gonna play it safe and say 5 inches

 

[Phaaze88]

Oh, a small form factor chassis?

Cryorig C1
Scythe Big Shuriken 3
be quiet! Shadow Rock TF 2

After that, there's the 120-140mm AIOs...

 

[TheChameleon]

Is there one you would recommend more than the others?

 

[Phaaze88]

Scythe Big Shuriken 3

 

[TheChameleon]

Ok thanks. Would you say an AIO would work better due to size limitation of my case, if so what would you recommend. Also i read up a little more and found that this stock cooler does have quite a bad reputation.

 

[Phaaze88]

Not necessarily.
With an air cooler: you've got the big ol' - or little - heatsink, which pretty much lasts a lifetime, and a fan(s), which have a finite lifespan. That's it.
They're generally more affordable.

With an AIO: there's radiator, the pump, tubes, the fan(s), and the coolant. The rad is essentially a heatsink, and the tubes are what they are - everything else is finite, though.
Fans break down over time obviously. The coolant will permeate the tubing over time, but most AIO aren't designed to be refilled; you keep the fans if they still work, and toss the rest out.
There's also the matter of the anti-microbial solution in the coolant dying out after some years; it'll eventually gunk up, and you'll still have to toss it.
They do appear to be more expensive, but that's because they are a cheap and maintenance-free alternative to custom liquid setups, which are $$$. All they really give up compared to custom is that they can't match the cooling and noise potential of the latter.


As for a recommendation - Corsair H80i V2, if available.

 

[TheChameleon]

Ok thanks, think ill stick with the air cooler for now.

 

[Phaaze88]

You're welcome!